A union of Pakistan journalists has expressed concern over the threat issued by the banned Tehreeki-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) to the media and urged the government to ensure the safety and security of journalists.
This comes after a TTP spokesperson Mohammad Khurasani issued a statement, warning the media not to use the term "terrorists" for the group, otherwise, they would be treated as "enemies".
In a joint statement, Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) president Shahzada Zulfikar and secretary-general Nasir Zaidi expressed concern over the safety of journalists, particularly those working in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The group pointed out that over 30 journalists have been killed in these two provinces through targeted killing by militants.
"It regretted that not a single case was solved or anyone arrested," the statement by PFUJ said. "The new threat has again raised alarm in the journalists' community after a brief calm."
PFUJ also said that media personnel in the country were being targeted by terror outfits for giving space to national narrative and authorities questioned them if a press release of a militant group is published. "We are targeted by both sides," the statement added.
It is high time that the government should accept all proposals given by the PFUJ to the proposed Journalists' Safety and Protection bill, PFUJ added.
"We have suggested that the media owners should be bound to provide life insurance to all employees, particularly those working in conflict areas." the statement said, adding, "Media owners should also provide safety gear to those working in conflict areas as well as provide them special training in dealing with such situations."
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) in a 'White Paper on Global Journalism' listed five countries, including Pakistan as the 'Most Dangerous Countries for Practice of Journalism in the World' with 138 journalists being killed in Pakistan since 1990.
( With inputs from ANI )
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